By Kana McNiff
What have you heard about the origins of Thanksgiving? Many people believe that Thanksgiving was the feast that brought the Pilgrims and Indigenous people together despite their differences. However, there might not be much truth to that story.
The narrative that is presented to Americans is one that is deeply flawed. Many American history books depict Native American history as not beginning until the “white man” arrived. In fact, Native Americans had complex government systems, trading networks, and utilized agricultural technologies such as irrigation.
The arrival of the Mayflower in 1620 was far from the first encounter that the Native Americans had with Europeans. Evidence shows that at least two Wampanoag people spoke English and had already been to Europe and back by the time the Pilgrims had arrived. In fact, the Thanksgiving meal we are familiar with was far from the first “peace meal” between European settlers and Native Americans. Decades before that, in 1565, Spanish settlers enjoyed a meal with the Seloy tribe in what is now known as Florida.
The Plymouth colonists, who arrived in Plymouth Harbor in December of 1620, were not respectful visitors. With them from Europe, they brought diseases like bubonic plague, typhoid, malaria, scarlet fever, influenza, and cholera. The New England Native American population had decreased by 90% in 1620 due to these diseases. This caused great tension between the settlers and the Native Americans. Wanting to ease the tensions and prevent any violence, Wampanoag leader, Ousamequin reached out to the colonists to negotiate an alliance. After the Thanksgiving meal, “peace” in the New England region lasted for 50 years. Nevertheless, what the history books often fail to mention is the horrific massacre of the Wampanoag people, King Philip’s War. Considered one of the most deadly wars in American history, King Philip’s War left dozens of Native villages decimated and thousands dead.
Thanksgiving is a veil that conceals the mistreatment of Native American people in the United States. This Thanksgiving, do some research about the land you occupy and who it really belongs to. Celebrate Native American culture by incorporating foods like beans, corn, wild rice, and pumpkin in your Thanksgiving feast. Recognize that Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for many Indigenous people. Most importantly, listen to Indigenous peoples’ voices and support Indigenous-owned businesses.
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